Method and apparatus for wrapping prints of butter or the like



Oct. 31, 1939. K. G. HEFT ET AL 2.177.773

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING PRINTS OF BUTTER OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 23, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG: 1.

Oct. 31, 1939. K. c. HEFT ET AL 2,177,773

METHOD AND APPARATUSQFOR WRAPPING PRINTS OF BUTTER OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 23, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 Er. E.

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GUM/MAM Get. 31, 1939; K, G, HEFT E L 2.177.773

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING PRINTS 0F BUTTER OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 23, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 gMcm/bo'v Ken/262% 6. Hef/ far/ J Pap J Oct. 31, 1939. K. G. HEFT ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING PRINTS OF BUTTER OR il-IE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 23, 1958 Ken/162% G. He/f far/ J Papa flM 4 [52m Patented Oct.-31, v v I I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WRAPPINGi PRINTS F BUTTER OR THE LIKE Kenneth G. Heft and Earl J. Rapp, Toledo, Ohio,

assignors to Morris Packaging Equipment Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 23, 1938, Serial No. 191,934 4 Claims. (01. 93-2 This invention relates to a, method and appafolding of the sheet against the narrow elongate ratus for wrapping bars or prints of butter, oleo- Side l Of t e ba margarine or similar b tan of plastic or The illustrated embodiment of the invention semi-plastic nature with relatively light flexible comprises a machine for pp and packa 5 sheet material preparatory to packaging the ns bars butter, oleemergarine 01' he like 5 wrapped bars in cardboard cartons or other suit- With flexible Sheet material. u as Parchment able containers, paper, the sheet or wrapper folding means be- An object; is to produce a new and improved ing particularly illustrated. A series Of bars 01' method of wrapping bars of the above character I prints B are delivered to the machine from an whereby wrapping is satisfactorily and eficiently endless Conveyor 150 which is imparted in y 10 accomplished, each bar being rocked or oscilsuitable manner a s p y st p advan in movel lated for effecting part of the fold of the sheet. merit, each print being elongate and rectan ul r Another object is to produce a method and in shape. The foremost bar B of the series is apparatus for folding sheet material about a bar del ed to a Platform N against 8 p Well 16 of the above character by which the bar is adl2. The pl t an t wal form an nteit vanced and during the advancing movement the grail P of an an arm 3 which is mounted for sheet material is folded about the bar, a portion swinging movements upon a shaft I 4 rocked of the folding being effected by swinging the bar in any suitable manner in timed relation to the or moving it through an arcuate path. advancing movement of the bars B to receive go A further object is to produce a Wrapping mathe foremost bar. As soon as a bar is delivered 20 chine in which the bar is advanced in one directo the platform II, as shown in Figure 2, the

tion and during the advancing movement, pararm l3 swings in a. counterclockwise direction to tial folding of the sheet material is accomplished the p s t on .ShOWn i Figure 1, whereupon a by a series of means and the final folding operaram hav ng a head l5 to which is connected a tion is effected by swinging the bar through an rod l6 engages the underside of the bar and g arcuate path, the wrapper being retained against shoves it vertically from the arm. The ram l5 nfoldi g, is operated in any suitable manner in timed Other objects and advantages of the invenrelation to the swinging movement of the arm tion will hereinafter appear and, for purposes l3 in order to engage a bar B thereon after it of illustration but not of limitation, an embodias bee oved to an upright position as indi- 30 ment of the invention is shown on the accomcated in Figure 1. panying drawings in which Disposed in the path of movement of the bar Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section B as advanced by the ram I5 is a relatively flexof a machine for wrapping rectangular bars or ible sheet of material S, such as parchment pa.-

prints of butter or the like with relatively flex- P the Same being delivered to a pp 35 ible sheet material, only so much of the machine on which the opposite edges of the sheet are being shown as to enable those skilled in the art adapted to rest so as not to interfere with the to understand the construction and operation of advancing movement of the bar. The sheet S the various parts; is delivered in any suitable manner as by a pair 40 Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but of advancing rolls l8 in rear of which are sever- 40 showing a bar after it is partially passed through ing rolls l9 which cut a segment from a continuthe folding mechanism; ous length of sheet material as will be readily Figure 3 is a. vertical sectional elevation subunderstood by those skilled in this art. Since stantially on the line 33 of Figure 2; the particular mechanism employed for deliver- Figures 4 to 12 are diagrammatic views showing the severed segment of sheet material of the 45 ing successively the manner in which each bar proper size forms no part of the present invenor print is brought into contact with the parchtion, further description thereof is not considment sheet and the folds which are made during ered necessary. Suflice it to say that severed the advancing movement and showing particusegments S are successively delivered into the 60 larly in Figures 7 to 12 the moving of a bar and path of movement of each bar 13 and in timed 0 sheet through an arcuate path to effect the final relation to the vertically advancing movement folding of the sheet about the bar, and Figure 8 of the ram l5. Attention is called to Figure 4 being a sectional view substantially onv the line which shows the relation of a bar B and sheet S 8-4! of Figure 7 more clearly showing the foldsubstantially at the time when the bar-is moved ing fingers and the manner in which they effect bythe ram into engagement with the sheet. a

The sheet S and bar B are thereupon advanced together by the ram it between vertically disposed laterally spaced folding plates 29 and 20 having folding wings 22, 23 and M and laterally spaced end folders 25. The plate 20 is resiliently urged toward the plate 2| by relatively light coil springs 26. Folding plates or shoes of this character are old in the art and sufi'ice it to call attention to Figures 5 and 6 which show the manner in which these plates or shoes operate to effect folding of the sheet against the opposite ends of the bar. Obviously, the sheet is first folded against the leading end of the bar as indicated at a in Figure 5. Then as the bar is advanced, the fold b is effected at opposite ends of the bar, leaving the portions c projecting laterally beyond the adjacent ends of the bar. Then, as advancing continues the portions 0 are successively folded in overlapped relation to the position indicated in Figure 6 with side extensions d and end extensions 2 depending be yond the lower edge of the bar.

7 It will be apparent that the above described folding operations take place as the bar is advanced vertically by the ram 15 to the position shown in Figure 2, and thereafter the ram re tracts to engage and advance the next succeeding bar. Thereupon, a pair of folding fingers 2? are moved horizontally toward each other by any suitable means operating in timed relation to the movement of the ram 15. the fingers 2? move inwardly, they engage dc .nding overlapped portions e of the sheet at each end and effect the fold f against the lower end of the bar substantially as indicated in Figures 7 and 8. The fingers 2'6 retract to normal position after making the folds f at each end.

The partially wrapped bar is now in engagement with an arm 28 which is pivotally mounted at 29 on a horizontal axis and is actuated by a crank arm 3B which is connected by an arm 3i to a crank arm 32 fixed to the shaft It so that the arms 28 and i3 operate conjointly, the arm 28 imparting folding of the sheet as will hereinafter appear.

The rearmost sheet portion d is next folded by a finger 33 which is pivoted to an arm 34 and is yieldingly urged against a roller 35 by a leaf spring 38. The arm 34 swings about a pivot 31 and is rocked in a counterclockwise direction (Figure 2) in timed relation to the movement of the fingers 21. It is apparent that the folding finger 33 moves at substantially right angles to the movement of the fingers 21, and, as shown in Figure 9, the finger 33 moves forwardly to effect the fold 9 against the underside of the bar B. The finger 33 remains in the position shown in Figure 9 until the arm 28 has swung to a predetermined position as will hereinafter appear.

Disposed in advance of the partially wrapped bar B, and in opposing relation to the arm 28 is an arm 38 which is vertically disposed and is pivoted at its lower end at 39, a relatively weak spring 40 normally urging the arm 38 toward the front face of the partially wrapped bar B. The arm is upwardly and rearwardly curved substantially as shown so that when the arm 28 is swung in a counterclockwise direction (Figure 10) the remaining unfolded portion d of the sheet S is moved into engagement with the curved surface of the arm 38, thus folding such portion against the fold a forming the fold h as indicated in Figure 10. The finger 33 remains in the position shown in Figure 9 until such time that the fold h is sufiiclently made to pre-- vent unfolding of the folded portion a, and thereupon, the finger as retracts to the position shownln Figures 1 and 2.

In the swinging of the arm 28 forwardly, the arm 33 is accordingly swung to the left of Figure 2, but is yieldingly held by the spring 48 in engagement with the bar until the bar has been swung to a substantially horizontal position as shown in Figure 11. The front end of the wrapped bar is in close juxtaposed relation to a carton blank C which has been fed into position by any suitable means.

It is apparent that the bar B has been completely wrapped by the sheet S and is ready to be packaged in a suitable carton. A. ii carried by a rod '32 is then advanced by any suitable means into engagement with the rear face of the wrapped bar and advances it into engagement with the carton C. Disposed on opposite sides of the rocking arm 28 are spring pressed plates 33 which engage the opposite ends of the bar, holds the same in position and me vents the folds c from coming apart. It will thus be apparent that neither the end folds nor the front folds g and h are permitted to separate but are held against the bar.

The ram ll operating in timed relation to the swinging movement of the arm .23 advances the wrapped bar and the carton C between guide plates G thereby partially folding the carton about the bar. The completion of the carton folding may be accomplished in any suitable or well-known manner and, since such mechanism forms no part of the present invention, illustration or description thereof is not considered necessary. After the ram 4| has advanced the wrapped bar and carton substantially as shown in Figure 2, it retracts until the next succeeding bar is in position for horizontal advancing movement. It will also be understood that after the wrapped bar has been moved from the arm 28, the latter swings back to its normal position shown in Figure 2.

From the above description, it will be apparent that the prints or bars of butter or similar material may be efliciently and speedily wrapped with sheet material such as parchment paper and an important feature of the invention resides in the rocking or arcuate movement which is imparted to the partially wrapped bar thereby completing the folding of the sheet against it. This materially simplifies wrapping mechanism of this character and insures against unfolding of the folded sheet portions, those portions which have previously been folded being positively held against unfolding so that the finally wrapped bar is neat and trim in appearance and all portions of the print or bar completely covered.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising means for feeding fiatwise a series of bars of butter or the like each bar being substantially rectangular and of greater breadth than thickness, means operable successively to move the foremost bar from said feeding means to a position at substantially right angles to the path of movement of the feeding means, means for advancing the bar edgewise from said last means, means to receive a wrapping sheet in the path of movement of said advancing means, means for partially folding the wrapping sheet about the bar during the advancing movement thereof, said advancing means retracting after partial folding of the wrapper sheet, and means for completing the folding operation including means for imparting translatory movement to the partially wrapped bar through an arcuate path to a position corresponding to its initial flatwise position.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising har feeding means, rockable arm for receiving a bar and moving same through an arc of approximately 90, means operable in timed relation to said arm for advancing a bar therefrom, means to receive a sheet of flexible sheet material in the path of movement of said advancing means, a series of means for partially folding the wrapper sheet about the bar during advancing movement thereof, said advancing means retracting after partial folding of the sheet is effected, means for completing the folding of the wrapper sheet including a rockable arm for rocking the partially wrapped bar through an arc of approximately 90, and conjoint means for actuating said rockable arms.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising means for feeding bars of butter or the like in a step by step manner, a rockable arm to receive the foremost bar and swing same about an arc of approximately 90, means to engage the bar on said arm and advance same along a path at substantially right angles to the path of movement of said feeding means, means to Q support a wrapper sheet in the path of movement of said advancing means, a series of means to partially fold a wrapper sheet about the bar during advancing movement thereof, means for completing the folding of the wrapper sheet including a rockable arm for swinging the bar through an arc of approximately 90, means cooperating with said arm for effecting partial folding of the sheet during such swinging movement, and means for concomitantly actuating said rockable arm.

4. The method of handling and wrapping with sheet material bars of butter or the like, each bar being substantially rectangular, elongate and of greater breadth than thickness, said method consisting in advancing a series of bars in fiatwise manner, successively moving the foremost bar to a position at substantially right angles to the path of advancing movement, advancing such bar edgewise, wrapping the bar during such edgewise advancing movement with sheet material except for an elongate side from the edges of which extend parallel end portions of the sheet, folding one end portion against such side, rocking the bar to cause the other end portion to wipe against a surface to effect folding, and advancing the wrapped bar flatwise in a direction parallel to its initial advancing movement.

KENNETH G. HEF'I. EARL J. RAPP. 

